I heard friends who had never in their lives mentioned him to me talk at length last week about how great he was.

Where were they when he was alive, rattling off one top movie after another?

It got me thinking about 2016 and the curse that had the world on tenterhooks.

Who’ll be next? How will we cope? Why is everything so terrible?

Oh no, not you too Fidel Castro, 90 years old but gone way too soon.

Dozens of well-known celebrities died, and I didn’t care about any of them because I didn’t know them personally or follow them all that closely.

Most of them reached a good age, enjoyed spectacular lives, and left a treasure trove of memories for their loved ones who cherished their times together.

I’ll still appreciate a David Bowie song, will always enjoy Andrew Sachs’ Manuel in Fawlty Towers and George Michael’s Christmas hits will forever form a backdrop to festive festivities in my household.

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But their deaths didn’t exactly derail me like, say, the death of a friend would. I couldn’t join the wailing multitudes with any enthusiasm as they roared “WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO US, 2016?”
Recent months have seen the passing of several more high-profile people, but I have yet to feel any sense of grief.

Carrie Fisher? I’ve never seen Star Wars. John Hurt? Amazingly, the only film I’ve seen one of the “greatest actors in the world” in was the ill-advised fourth Indiana Jones movie. And to be honest, I didn’t know he was in it.

Mary Tyler Moore? I’m only 37.

Some of us really do feel the death of a celeb they identified with, who might have shaped or inspired them to follow a particular path.

When that happens, it can force us to consider our own mortality.

Once Premier League footballers of the 1990s start dropping like flies I’ll start looking over my shoulder.

But the hysteria that meets the deaths of figures nobody has talked about for decades, among people only loosely familiar with their work, is off the wall.

It’s something to talk about, as if celeb deaths were a recent development.

If I was a cynical fool I’d say some people seem to relish a good death, so as to get their tribute out there and get some kudos.

One would hope most of us have enough going on so as to not dwell too much on the passing of the 91-year-old late Bishop of Asmara, Zekarias Yohannes, or actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who left us aged just 99, but some can’t help it.

They are the same people who wish their granny happy birthday on Facebook even though the old dear doesn’t even know what a computer is.

How many rush to pay respects online but run a mile when confronted with the prospect of extending their condolences to people in the real world?

“Too awkward, I’ll like a photo on their Instagram instead.”

Of course there is a huge sense of loss when someone well known passes on while they are in the midst of something important.

I’d be more inclined to panic if the world’s leading cancer researcher died rather than the long-suffering Muhammad Ali or 83-year-old Man from U.N.C.L.E star Robert Vaughn.

Those who knew Paxton spoke very eloquently about a great actor and a great human being.

Their sorrow is real, not like the majority of casual mourners who treat such celeb deaths as a personal tragedy.

That fake grief for many is all-consuming, at least for a few hours, or until the next celeb drops dead.

EVERY time I see Michaella ­McCollum in the papers or on TV, I can actually feel my skin crawl.

And now the criminal is being lined up to appear on Big Brother.

The Irish Sun broke the story last week and we were inundated with calls from readers furious she is set to rake in the cash.

The message it sends is: Smuggle 11kg of cocaine and get set up for life.

Upon her release she sat down for a painfully soft interview with RTE, then thankfully disappeared until she turned up again this month frolicking on the beach for some low-quality bikini shots set up by a friendly snapper.

And now she’s going on TV again.

Big Brother and Channel 5 wouldn’t be renowned for maintaining standards, but if this happens it’s a new low even for them.